The tradition of Rajadhira’ja Yoga (RRY) began with the seminal yogic contributions of legendary Sadashiva about 7000 years ago. However, scores of rs’is (seers), muniis (scholars), yogis & tantriks (practitioners of subtle science of transcendence), bhaktas (followers of the cult of love & heart for Divine) and others have nurtured & enriched this tradition by their penances & introspective research. The different elements of this tradition have been preserved and presented by scholars & practitioners by different names but the essence remains the same: Ra’ja’dhira’ja Yoga (RRY) is the practical path of unification (yoga) of unit-consciousness with cosmic consciousness-nothing short of that goal. Since this is the highest expressed goal of human existence, the pursuit of that aim has been called the path of King of the kings (Ra’ja’dhira’ja).In this subtle path, “devotion or divine love” has been identified as the cornerstone of the path while not neglecting a sweet adjustment with all other realms. Sri Krs’na in Bhagvata Giita has similarly reaffirmed the inner spirit of Ra’ja’dhira’ja Yoga (RRY) by revealing the inner secret of the universe.

Mama vartma’nuvartante manus’ya’h pa’rtha sarvashah

“All microcosms are rushing towards Me (Supreme Consciousness), knowingly or unknowingly.”

A happy blending of Jinana (knowledge), karma (actional faculty) and Bhakti (devotional cult) lies at the heart of Sri Krsna’s discourse. So, at the very outset, Rajadhiraja Yoga (RRY) initiates a balanced way of life with attention to twin goals: “spiritual goal (subjective approach) and social goal (objective adjustment)”. Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiiji (1921-1990) provided a strong philosophical support to this idea and challenged Sri Sankaracarya’s notion of maya’va’da. Anandamutiiji proclaims inhis treatise Ananda Sutram: “ Brahma satyam, Jagat satyam a’peks’ikam” i.e., Supreme Consciousness is the absolute truth and this manifested world is also truth but a relative one. It is opposed to the idea that this world should be treated as mithya, an illusion or falsehood. So we cannot and should not run away from the problems of this world. Yet, nothing except the primordial consciousness remains the same for ever and that alone should be the ultimate object of ideation for a spiritual aspirant. As a relative truth, this world is not unchanging, not something absolute or fixed. Everything is subject to constant changes of time, space and person. Time, Space and Person are like closely related or hold a special bond to each other.-one cannot exist without the other. I guess that is also why we can call them relatives or relative factors. However, Supreme Consciousness is something that is the generic essence of all expressed relativity. It is the primordial substance that lies at the root of cognition and energy. This particular notion of Consciousness as the composite of Shiva (cognition) and Shakti(energy) is one of the many philosophical clarifications provided by Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiiji on Rajadhiraja Yoga (RRY).. He devotes the last sixteen sutras (aphorisms) in Ananda Sutram to delineate the social philosophy which can create a congenial environment for the spiritual march. This itself shows how integrated the outlook of Rajadhiraja Yoga (RRY) is, as has been expounded and elaborated by Shrii Shrii Anandamurtijii for the benefit of humankind and all beings of this universe. Anandamurtijii’s philosophy of Neohumanism (based on love for all beings) also stems from that concern to lay out a balanced path based on the fundamentals of Rajadhiraja Yoga (RRY). It would be fair to say that Ananda Sutram is one of the few comprehensive modern treatises of Rajadhiraja Yoga (RRY).

Pata’njali Yoga Sutras vs. Anandamurtiiji’s Ananda Sutram

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is one of the most important celebrated canonical literatures of the yoga tradition. Considering that it is about 300 BC old treatise, the erudition of the sage is indeed remarkable. It has weathered the test of time and has been translated and commented upon by scores of scholars and sages since then .It is more of a treatise on yoga psychology than anything else. However, it does mention some of the methods employed in yoga. His codification of the yogic thought into eight steps called As’taunga Yoga has made his thinking into a household tradition. There is no doubt that Patanjali deserves the reverence of all who have come after him in order to advance the knowledge of Yoga. Shrii P.R.Sarkar reveals through his research that "Mahars’i Patainjali was born in Patun village in Burdwan (West Bengal,India) and endeavoured to establish a heartful union between the earth and human beings, and between human beings and their inner divinity". His school of thought followed the footsteps of Mahars’i Kapil- the founder of Samkhya philosophy. Kapil was also the son of Rahri soil and born near Jhalda in West Bengal. Patanjali’s work is therefore known as Seshvara Samkhya- showing the link between two great philosophers who helped codify yogic philosophy in the days of yore. However, Shri P.R.Sarkar provides a very critical appraisal of Patanjali’s contribution and their relevance to Rajadhiraja yoga.(Shri Sarkar has provided an eloquent critical appraisal of Sri Krs’na and Mahars’i Kapil’s ideas elsewhere in his other work titled Namami Krsna Sundaram ).While evaluating Patanjali in the light of Shiva, Sarkar says the following:

“…I was sitting on the western bank of the Deviidaha, a short ways from the village of Pátun, the village of Maharshi Patanjali, the propounder of Seshvara Sáḿkhya philosophy. Patanjali had not been satisfied with the Sáḿkhya philosophy of Kapil. Kapil didn’t say anything clearly one way or the other about Parama Puruśa (Supreme Consciousness) though he accepted His existence. Patanjali openly acknowledged His existence .I sat and thought for a while about Patanjali. On the other side of the Deviidaha I saw six or seven wild boars drinking water...” “Long after the Sáḿkhya philosophy was propounded; another great philosopher was born in Ráŕh – Maharshi Patanjali. He took special care to correct some of the basic defects of the Sáḿkhya philosophy, but in some matters he lagged behind. His school of philosophy, which is popularly known as Pátaiṋjala Yoga, Yoga Sútram or Seshvara Sáḿkhya, is an eloquent testimony to his high degree of intellect and erudition. Some aspects of the philosophy were explained in a very psychological way, but it lacked the detailed analysis of Kapila’s Sáḿkhya. Another positive aspect of Pataiṋjali’s philosophy was that it accepted the existence of the all-controlling Iishvara and provided spiritual aspirants valuable guidelines for their intuitional practice. But a most glaring defect was that it failed to demarcate the relation between the jiivas [living beings] and Iishvara, the Supreme Controller of the universe. Moreover, it did not explain clearly and conclusively how Iishvara exercises His supreme authority in controlling the universe, nor why people should practise yoga, why they should try to suspend all their psychic propensities, etc. Thus the fundamental difference between Shiva and the Iishvara of Patanjali’s philosophy is obvious. Shiva looked upon all the living beings of the universe as His loving children. He raised them with loving care and, at the end of their physical existence, pulled them onto His affectionate lap. Not even a hint of the glory and sweetness of Shiva’s ideology can be found in the Pátaiṋjala philosophy. Pátaiṋjala Yoga is a dull and dry school of yogic discipline; it does not make the yogi’s heart ever-fresh and ever-green. And unless the heart of a yogi is fresh and tender, the seed of devotion, although sown in time, does not sprout. Without that blissful flow of devotion which vibrates and inspires living beings to attain the highest spiritual realization, the Pátaiṋjala school of philosophy could not create a large group of devotees, a Hariparimańd́ala [circle of people around the Lord]. Not only the gods are fond of the fragrance of flowers; devotees also want to string garlands for their beloved Iśt́a with the fragrant flowers of the devotion of their hearts. If a flower has no fragrance, it has no value for a devotee. One should remember that the fragrance of a flower and the tender sweetness of a devotional heart together make a perfect combination. What does the perfume of the flower represent? The worldly activity which a devotee does with a heart filled with love is the perfume of the flower, and the overflowing devotion for one’s Iśt́a is the tender sweetness in the devotee’s heart. With these two together, the devotee makes a garland. Now, if there are fragrant flowers, but there is no sweetness in the devotee’s heart, then the devotee cannot make a garland for his or her Iśt́a – then there is no question of garlanding Him at all, and though the flower basket may be full of flowers, they wither with the pain of emptiness and the agony of unfulfilled yearning. Then if the Beloved does not accept the garland, what is the use of holding the basket full of flowers and crying – Bhará sáji ki goHe mor DevatáEmni bhariyá rabe. [O beloved Lord,Will my basket of flowersEver remain full?] The Pátaiṋjala philosophy may have accepted Shiva as Iishvara, but certainly did not accept Him as the Lord of the heart. This was indeed a great injustice to Shiva, because He was the Supreme Lord of the human heart. The glory of Shiva is not properly reflected in the light of Pátaiṋjala Yoga philosophy. How, indeed, can it be reflected? Compared to the dazzling brilliance of Shiva’s effulgence, the dim light of the Pátaiṋjala philosophy is fainter than that of a glow-worm.”

Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji does not stop merely at providing the critical evaluation of sage Patanjali’s Yoga. Rather, in the lineage of Sada Shiva and Sri Krsna, he goes further and composes his own sutras and presents them as his magnum opus titled Ananda Sutram (first published in 1959). The scope of Anandamurtiiji’s eighty-five (85) ‘yoga’-sutras are written in the spirit of tantric definition of Yoga and delves into cosmology, mind, gunas, kula-kundalinii and social-progress. Coupled with the applied side of tantra-& yoga as taught by him, Ananda Sutram appears to be in essence a treatise on “Ra’ja’dhira’ja Yoga” which weaves several threads in to a tapestry of life journey to the Supreme Consciousness. Ananda Sutram unfolds many of the philosophical knots, lapses, incongruities and complexities by a simplified, though profound explanation of the role of microcosms in this creation, a need of spiritual practice in life and our responsibility to build one universal society.

Meditation in the Ra’ja’dhira’ja Yoga tradition

The name of famous Mahars’i As’tavakra stands out for his contributions in this difficult field of research. In the words of Shrii Shri Anandamurtiijii “The process of controlling all the cakras and propensities was invented by Astavakra over two thousand years ago. He wrote the book Aśt́ávakra Saḿhitá. He was a great saint and called this process Rájadhirája Yoga. He first taught this system of yoga to Alarka at Vakreswar in Bengal.” While elaborating the Rajadhira’ja yoga tradition, Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiiji further says “Maharshi Vishvamitra, Dharmarája Yudhisthira, Rájádhirája Yogii Vashiśt́a, Maharshi Astavakra, Vibhandaka and Kalahana have all said that those who waste time because of their susceptibilities (the time of one who does adhyáná dhyána or ajapá japa is not wasted), should remember the Guru in the Guru cakra. In this Guru cakra, the aspirant meditates on the Guru – on that ennobling Entity – channelizing his or her mundane bondages into the non-mundane realm, and elevating his or her non-mundane psychic bondages to the realm of the supramental entity, the source of supra-cognitive power. Hence, dhyána yoga [meditational-yoga] is the best yoga for sádhaná. Dhyána yoga is acknowledged by Hat́ha yoga, Rája Yoga and Rájádhirája Yoga; it is also acknowledged by Buddhist Tantra and Jain Tantra, and by Bhágavata dharma.”

“There is a regulating point or práńakendra for each of the innumerable nerve cells in the brain. Over and above these many práńakendras or regulating points of the brain, there is one regulating point which controls the many práńakendras. This point resembles, to some extent, the tip of a blade of kusha [a type of grass]. In this point is the Guru cakra. From this point human beings receive a thousand and one kinds of inspiration and propulsion. The humanity of human beings and the animality of lesser creatures all depend on this point. In this point is ensconced the Guru, Parama Guru, Parápara Guru, Paramesti Guru. It is the loftiest point for the purposes of meditation and contemplation. It is at this point that the meditation on Guru has to be undertaken. That which I call the sahasrára cakra is an ideational point – without any realistic existence based on the nerve cells – but this is not the case with the Guru cakra. So human beings must take recourse to the Guru Cakra – they must take shelter under it: Nányapanthá vidyate-ayanáyá [“There is no other way than this”]. In this context, Anandamurtiiji further proclaims “Brahma Krpahi Kevelam” or "Baba Nam Kevalam" as final stage of spiritual practice. It may be considered as the starting point as well as the terminus of Ra'ja'dhira'ja Yoga. This ultimate drive for unison (yoga) infused with universal love and total selflessness may also be seen as a perennial source of inspiration of Ra'ja'dhira'ja Yoga of Anandamurtiiji.

Tantra and Ra’ja’dhira’ja Yoga

Tantra and Yoga have a common genre. While yoga (unification) is the goal, Tantra (science of liberation from crude bondages) is the process of sublimation, transmutation. So the tantras have inspired the yogic path since early times. It would be difficult to isolate the interpenetration of tantra and yoga as independent disciplines. The cult of Vaeshnavism found its inspiration in Pancaratra tantra. The entire yogic tradition is paved with references to tantric methods. It appears that tradition of Ra’ja’dhira’ja Yoga comes closest to Tantra Yoga. In the words of Anandamurtiiji again, “The Siddhántácára, Vámácára and Kulácára of Shaeva Tantra [Shiva Tantra, Shaivite Tantra] are recognized by both the Hindu and Buddhist schools of Tantra. The Buddhist Vajrayána, Mantrayána, Tantrayána and Kálacakrayána sub-schools of Tantra recognize all of these ácáras and follow them in actual practice. The purest part of Shaeva Tantra, which is beyond both Dakśińácára and Vámácára(1) and was formerly to be learned in śámrájya diiksá [a kind of Tantric initiation] from a kaola guru [Tantric guru], is now included in Rájádhirája Yoga. Some of the subtler processes of Ananda Marga sádhaná bear a close relation to Rájádhirája Yoga.” Furthermore, “In Hindu Tantra, Buddhist Tantra, and Rájádhirája Yoga, the concept of Parashiva in the unmanifested balanced triangle of forces has been recognized implicitly or explicitly. Naerátma Devii of Kálacakrayána and Shúnyátma Devii of Kauṋkála-málinii Tantra are simply alternative names of Parashiva*).

*(In the balanced triangle of forces, in the pre-creation stage, when the unmanifested primordial Cognition has not yet come under the influence of the unmanifested primordial forces, that is, when the principles are purely in the subjective case and in the opposite direction there is nothing objective, that Cognitive Faculty in the unmanifested balanced triangle is called Guńamaya. Parashiva is a philosophical equivalent term. When the three forces in a state of manifestation give rise to an objective case in the opposite direction, that antithesis in the form of the objective case is called Aparashiva. Parashiva is Guńamaya, but Aparashiva, although Guńamaya in the practical sphere, is actually not Guńamaya in the theoretical sphere, because the alternation between manifestation and non-manifestation of the forces goes on constantly, simultaneously with the emanation, externalization, reflection and refraction from the points of Shambhúliuṋga and Svayambhúliuṋga.).”

References:

1. Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiiji, Nama’mi Krs’na Sundaram, AM Publications
2. Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiiji, Ananda Sutram, AMP
3. Shrii P.R.Sarkar, Rahr- the cradle of human civilization, AMP
4. Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiiji, Namah Shivaya Shantaya, AMP
5. Shrii P.R.Sarkar, Shabda Cayanika, Vol AMP
6. Shrii , P.R.Sarkar, Discourses on Tantra-1-2, AMP